Author: Amy J. Murphy

The shady underworld of the grade school essay black market was Amy Murphy’s introduction to the possibility of writing things for money. Although real life intervened and her career path took a separate direction from this gig, she continued to work on personal writing projects in the science fiction and horror genres. Originally from New Orleans, Amy now shares a home with her husband and a very entitled dog in the lovely state of Vermont. And, you're looking at a newly minted member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, baby!

The print version of Allies and Enemies: Exiles is now available on Amazon. The third book in the series is “one you won’t want to put down.” Already a fan of “Exiles”? Nominate it for a 2017 Dragon Award. Check out last week’s post to find out how. [Click here]

Last year, fans of Allies and Enemies like you paid me a great honor by making my first book a finalist for a 2016 Dragon Award hosted by Dragon Con. Not only was the experience humbling, it inspired me to go on to complete the series. What do you say? Can I count on your help one more time? As with last year’s competition, the two-step nomination/voting process is free and does not require the person doing the nominating to attend the actual convention or be a member of Dragon Con. Plus, it’s a chance to give a shout out...

Hey! This one goes out to indie authors. You’ve heard that advice to read a lot if you’re looking to up your game as an author. It’s a great way to learn your craft as you entertain your brain. (Not to mention support your brethren.) And, I don’t know about you, but I gain inspiration when I enjoy a well-written story. It’s some great advice. I read about 2-3 books a week. Not all of them are fiction. There’s some non-fiction writing craft stuff in there too. Here’s a shout out to some books that I’ve recently “discovered” and don’t...

I admit it. I’m a little lost right now. Allies and Enemies: Exiles just launched, completing a story arc that’s been swimming around in my head for over a decade. It was a fantastic experience. So, now I’m at a crossroads of sorts. I’m not the speed demon writer like some of my indie author compatriots. (Finishing a “short” story of 17,000 words just about drove me batty. BTW, it’s called “A Simple Thing” and it’ll be in a sci-fi anthology out later this summer.) I’d like to focus my energies on a new project– got quite a few ideas...

Recently, I was asked why I moved from military science fiction to space opera in my book series. The question surprised me actually. I did not realize that I’d done this. Had I? To me, the two genres exist in a blurry realm for me: one cannot exist without the other and one just involves more explosions and soldiers. I envision this umbrella term of “space opera” and under it are all these categories like steampunk, cyberpunk, galactic empire, military sci-fi. My own impression is that it’s the opposite of hard science fiction (a genre that requires slide rulers to understand...

I’ve become obsessed with landing a BookBub deal for Allies and Enemies. At the time of this writing, I’m still waiting to hear about my latest deal submission. (So, fingers crossed on that, ok?) Anyway, I owe some of this obsession to the recent post over at Dave Chesson’s Kindlepreneur site. [Excellent place to check out info on self-publishing and run by a super nice dude, BTW.] I can’t be alone when I ponder the questions: who is/are Book Bub? Why are they so powerful? So let’s unpack this. I’m going to preface this by saying, that I based this post...

Ever wondered just how much of a spaz I am in real life? Wonder no more! Listen to me tragically mix metaphors and mispronounce words on the Rocking Self- Publishing Podcast, hosted by the very charming Simon Whistler. (Seriously, this guy has the voice of Bond villain and I mean it as a compliment.) [Click here.] (My apologies to anyone’s name I left out or said incorrectly. Sorry!) Shout out to the following peeps! Clinton – Comedy4cast Podcast Lindsay, Joe, and Jeff – Science Fiction and Fantasy Marketing Podcast And all the other folks that I may not have mentioned...

Yesterday, I read a somewhat mean-spirited post by one of my favorite authors. Throughout his tirade, he maintains that he was speaking to a particular subset of independently published writers that release poorly written stories with zero editing and bad covers. He’s known for these spittle-flecked tirades laced with gruesome metaphor and massive doses of 6th-grade humor. I’m told that he’s actually a very nice guy in person. But posts like this are his shtick. It’s what he does. I get it. This post struck a nerve with me, not just because he called out indie authors, but because...